Introduction: Gillís Regatta Deckhand
gloves are designed to deliver superior protection to anglers both from the
elements and from hazards right on the boat and although originally designed for
sailing these gloves help anglers get a grip on everything from the steering
wheel of their bass boats to the lips of trophy fish.

The Gill Regatta Deckhand gloves
were designed for sailing but are now being used by anglers stateside

Impressions:Most anglers here
in the U.S. probably havenít heard of Gill before, unless you enjoy sailing.
Gill is a brand from the U.K. that designs and manufactures highly technical
foul weather gear that is designed to stand up to severe weather conditions that
sailors experience when racing or partaking in recreational sailing. Over the
years anglers from all over the world started trying Gill gear as they were
looking for comfortable yet breathable apparel that could be used in fishing
applications. Team Yamaha brought on Gill to make their gear and the company got
a whole lot more serious about targeting U.S. anglers when they signed Elite
Series angler Dean Rojas earlier this year.

These gloves have more structure
than traditional fishing gloves are a whole lot harder to fold over

Gill clothing makes use of
some very technical fabrics which are engineered to deal with the combination of
abrasion and humidity, two elements that can bring lesser garments to their
knees. Because their apparel can be worn in warmer environments Gill garments
are well suited for bass anglers that are looking for protective clothing when
running the boat but still need that breathability. While the company is
probably best known for their waterproof jackets Gill makes a complete range of
clothing products designed for on the water activities including smocks, shirts,
shorts, drysuits, footwear and gloves.

The gloves are a little tighter
fitting than most gloves which makes sense considering sailors don't want loose
gloves when working ropes

We are currently field
testing a number of Gill outerwear products including the Inshore Lite Jacket
which is being marketed towards anglers. I decided to take a look at Gillís
glove offerings during this same period and my first stop was the Regatta
Deckhand Gloves. The Deckhand Gloves are intended for working ropes and are
available in both short finger and long finger configurations. For fishing the
short finger design is more than adequate for most situations, including
bassing.

The wrist closure is inside facing
on this glove to prevent accidental watch starting when sailing

The Regatta Deckhand
gloves feature a mesh back for comfort and a pre-shaped construction that is
designed to fit the natural shape of your hand. The palm of this glove is a
little thicker than most fishing gloves and is designed to offer more protection
and even the open fingers feature extra reinforcement. The gloves bear Gillís
trademark styling and have a clean and elegant look to them.

The outside of the glove features
stretch fabric for comfort

Real World Tests:
To test the Gill Regatta Deckhand gloves I head to my favorite local fishing
destinations including the California Delta and Clear Lake. I fished with the
gloves during cold and hot weather days and used a variety of setups including
baitcasting and spinning gear as well as a variety of tools including pliers and
fish landing tools.

The Gill Regatta Deckhand gloves
are layered with Amara reinforcement

Operation:
The first thing I noticed about the Regatta Deckhand gloves is that they have a
lot more structure than traditional fishing gloves. If you hold the bottom of
the glove they will not fold over, instead they extend like a open palm. The
gloves make use of a variety of materials including stretch fabric on the back
and Amara on the palm and fingers. Amaraģ is a synthetic suede material made up
of bundles of super fine fibers locked together with polyurethane resin. Because
it has the same composition as natural leather, it closely resembles leather in
its surface feeling, appearance, durability, and air permeability.